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[AlleneMarie]

My doctor tells me my brain is still telling my thyroid to make hormones even though there are plenty of T4 and T5 I think in my bloodstream. She is continuing to have me take two thyroid pills and I feel I have bad side effects from too much. Why is my brain still telling my thyroid to produce when I already have enough? I would very much appreciate any insight. I am frustrated and very tired of trying to deal with this it has been a year. Thank you

[Heloise]

Your pituitary gland is telling your thyroid how much hormone is needed. Your thyroid gland usually responds correctly unless something else is affecting the gland.

The lab always includes the range by which Tsh, FT4 and FT3 should be evaluated. If they are over the range that usually means you have more hormone than you need and then your pituitary will lower the TSH. You are entitled to a copy of those tests so try to view them and come back.

Now why do you feel you don't need the tablets (are they levothyroxine?) If you are overmedicated you would have symptoms. What are they like for you? We should really know these things before you make any adjustments. Sometimes you need more, not less or maybe something different to treat it.

[DippyDame]

In order to offer much help members need to have your latest blood test results, with ranges, and the amount of thyroid replacement hormone (T4 and/or T3) that this doctor is prescribing. Ask at your surgery for a copy of these...if in the UK you are legally entitled to do this.

It sounds as if she is diagnosing based on TSH result only. You also need FT4 and (importantly) FT3 results to begin to understand the problem...see link below.

Has she asked you how you feel? Doctors don't always consider this - strange, but true!

I think she is confused/ ignorant about thyroid treatment....not so unusual I'm afraid as members here (myself included) have discovered

You may wish to have private tests -

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Once members have more details then you will receive helpful advice..

With the correct medication you can improve.

Good luck

DD

[Jazzw]

It sounds like you have hyperthyroidism - an overactive thyroid gland - from what you say. Although if it is, your doctor isn’t explaining the condition very well...

What pills has your doctor asked you to take? If you could provide the name of them we might be able to help more.

[RockyPath]

You could still be hypothyroid. Some people are genetically predisposed to produce reverse T3 in response to T4. If your rT3 is too high in relation to the free T3, you will continue to experience hypothyroid symptoms, and your pituitary will keep demanding more T3. Taking more levothyroixine under these circumstances will only make you feel better briefly, and then worse.

[shaws Administrator]

All tests for thyroid hormones have to be done at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and if you were taking a thyroid hormone replacement you'd allow a gap of 24 hours between dose and test and take it afterwards.

This helps the TSH to be at its highest as that's all doctors seem to look at. They seem to believe that if it is somewhere in the range we don't have a problem when, if hypothryoid, we need a TSH of 1 or lower and they should test TSH, T4, T3, F4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.

Post your results on a new post with the ranges for comments. If you are in the UK you can get a private test and I'll give you a link. There's three labs that do home finger pin-prick tests.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...